Fear
by Gasphard Ulliel'd
Summary: There's an urban legend about a precious crown that, unfortunately, has become Red-X's target. It turns out to be real; the crown sucks him and Raven into a foreign place, and the only way to get out from there is for Red-X to overcome his deepest fear.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans. I only own Red-X's secret identity (which is not Jason, I'm so sorry)._

_PS: this is my first attempt on real RaexRed fanfic and English is my second language. So for grammar nazis out there, please don't be too hard on me (:_

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><p>"We're going to patrol around the museum tonight," Robin notified all of the titans. "The Red Hat has come to town."<p>

"What's Red Hat?" Beast Boy asked. He folded his feet up on the sofa, hugging them.

"An expensive crown," he read the email he'd just printed. "We're asked to guard it. The urban legend in the place where it came from said that it should never be taken out of the glass box. Some children stories, but it had been effective in keeping any thief from taking it."

"Well, but we have a thief in town that wouldn't stop just because of an urban legend," Raven spoke out.

"True," Robin nodded.

"Red-X," Cyborg mentioned the nick of the notorious thief.

"So, friend Robin, our task is to prevent Red-X from taking the Red Hat, yes?" Starfire confirmed.

"Yep. The museum will be closed at 9. We'll get there around that time."

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><p>Red-X pulled out his mini binocular and eyed the titans through it. They had been patrolling around the museum since 9, and they wouldn't leave soon. He heard they'd got request from the museum to guard the crown with rubies, which was, unfortunately, his target for the night. He also knew that there was something about the crown that it might not be put outside its thick glass box. Stupid urban legend wasn't enough to stop him from stealing that beautiful crown, though.<p>

He pushed his binocular into his belt and moved fast, teleporting himself from the rooftop of a building he was on to the top of the museum. He was slightly surprised by how windy it was on top of the tall building, that he couldn't wait making his way in to the museum. His costume had never been the best in keeping him warm unless he activated the heater, but he got no time for that.

He monitored the titans' whereabouts first before deciding to enter the building. Cyborg was outside with some of the guards, just right in front of the entrance—Red-X sighed at that. Only amateur thieves would try to enter the building that way, since the building was too tall and they probably couldn't afford the technology or transportation to get them to the rooftop. Beast Boy was nearby the back door, where all the precious paintings and statues entered the building from. The other three were nowhere to be seen, so he assumed that they were all inside.

Silly, he thought. No one was guarding the rooftop. Too cold? Perhaps.

He jogged toward the door to the rooftop and pressed himself against the wall next to the steel door. Coming inside directly wasn't a wise decision—if they weren't on the rooftop, one of them might get him sudden attack once he tried breaking into the building. He'd better get ready for a fight.

The door was unlocked, and as soon as it flew open, Robin leaped out, rod on his hand. Red-X chuckled as he did a flip backward, creating the distance between him and Robin. It was a nice appetizer—he got to fight the leader first. Surely Robin had known where he'd enter the building from.

"Playing the security, kid?" he mocked.

Robin gritted his teeth. "You're not getting the crown."

"Oh, you think so? That's too bad," he laughed.

Robin hurled himself toward Red-X, launching his first attack with rod swirling on his hand. Red-X threw the shurikens and Robin parried quickly, striking him with the rod. Red-X leaped back when the edge of the rod almost struck his stomach.

Robin charged again, swinging the rod skillfully, but for Red-X his movements had become readable and tedious. As Robin aimed for his feet, he jumped and landed a kick on Robin's chest. Robin staggered back. As soon as his feet touched the ground, Red-X threw a punch on Robin's cheek, but he evaded it well. Robin's rod was on his way to his face when he swiftly kicked it from Robin's hand.

Both weaponless, they fought hand-in-hand. Punches and kicks were thrown around but there was none of them hit any of the masked guys—they were equally fast and well-trained. Red-X sighed after a minute or so of the combat, bored. He hated wasting time when he was in the middle of trying to steal a precious number one.

He actually didn't mind fighting—it had a weird way to entertain him. But fighting with Robin was his least favorite—his movements were nimble and perhaps the best of his team, but it was so humane and he wished for something more exciting. Not that he expected to fight an animal—rhino, monkey, all those ridiculous species—but the others were surely more exciting than Robin in fights. He found it very interesting to fight with the girls in particular. They weren't humans and he liked something new, just like their power.

Deciding that it had consumed too much of his time, he leaped backward after avoiding Robin's kick. He flung an X to tie Robin's feet together that he fell on the floor, face-first.

"I'll see you in another chance, Bird Boy." Chuckling, Red-X made his way into the building and locked the door.

One down, four to go. But he expected only two of them—the girls, as the rest of the boys were guarding outside.

He ran down the stairs, going to the second floor, where the biggest exhibition hall was. It was tiring, but he didn't want to waste his Xenothium on teleporting too often. He needed that for the fight and the escape.

He threw the X-tapes on the cameras as he made his way downstairs.

He panted when he reached the second floor. The door was equipped with alarm, but it was a glass door with wooden white frame. The alarm cable was attached to the wooden part of the door. He shook his head, couldn't believe of how stupid people could be. The X blade emerged on the back of his hand. It was sharp enough to make neat cut on the glass—he cut the lower half of the door and caught the glass before it fell and crashed the floor.

He slowly lied the glass on the floor before crawling into the hall. The hall was dark—there were only some tiny yellow lights on the tall ceiling, poorly lighting the vast room. He looked around. There were precious historical things placed in glass boxes and shelves, all were set for exhibition. His aim, though, was right in the middle of the room, surrounded by bulletproof glass.

It was the most beautiful crown he'd ever seen in his life. As he drew himself closer to his target, he saw that it was a golden crown with intricate design, swirling here and there with red rubies to perfect the beauty. The crown was so big that he knew why it was called a hat.

His chest was filled with lust. He loved beautiful objects—especially those who others couldn't get, as money couldn't buy them. The number ones.

He was so close to the box when a husky indifferent voice stopped him, "Not so fast, Red-X."

As he turned his head around to see the owner of the voice, a blow on his chin sent him flying, but before his body harshly hit the floor, his hand had already touched the floor to prevent his fall. He performed a flip and landed with feet parted far, one hand on the floor like a pole to keep him steady.

"Ambush," he smiled, seeing the flying Tamaranian and the ice princess. "It's nice to finally see you again, Cutie and Sunshine," he casted his eyes on Starfire, then to Raven. "I've missed you."

His two favorite members of the team—he smiled in satisfaction. Raven made a low sound like a growl on the nick he gave her, and Starfire had already flown straight toward him, throwing bright-green energy spheres. He easily jumped to avoid them, and placed his attention more on the pale girl.

Raven could be deadly if she didn't get stopped prior to anyone else in the team—it was one thing he'd learned during the previous fights he'd had with them. She was possibly the strongest of them all, strength-wise, and he always found her dark aura both intriguing and uncomfortable.

She floated toward him. The black energy she hurled toward him was as easy as Starfire's green spheres to avoid, but when she started murmuring a mantra, he had never liked it.

He was just making a smooth land on the floor when she was about to do that. "Azarath Metrion Zin—"the X-tape he flung had successfully muted her. He laughed. The bigger tape from his palm sent her trapped with her back against the wall. She struggled helplessly.

Now, the only one left was the pretty girl he'd always thought Robin liked. He'd actually flirt with her just for fun if only the crown wasn't too tempting.

Starfire was on her way to him, spheres pelting the floor around him as he evaded them. He was glad he was quite nimble that he could handle that girl without difficulty—all that he needed was right timing to pin the girl on the wall.

She was flying close to the wall, about to dash toward him like a rocket but he used the chance to throw her against the wall, like what he'd done to Raven. Starfire struggled furiously but it came to no avail.

He pulled a triumphant smirk beneath his mask and walked toward the box. Now, the red beauty would be his.

He cut the bulletproof box with his X-blade—his decision to change those blades on his gloves with diamond blades was never wrong. It always came in handy in every stealing attempt he executed.

The second glass was cut and he'd had the crown in his hand when someone struck him from behind. Raven had freed herself from the tape, but the tape on her mouth was still there. They rolled on the floor, grasping each other on the arms like classic wrestling. The crown fell on the floor, skittering.

Red-X hated this. First, he hated when his precious number one hit the floor. Second, he hated grappling with girls. It made him feel less than a gentleman, which was bad.

The next thing he knew before he could throw Raven away was the crown gleaming eerily, and then the floor below them was opened. They fell not into the first floor but into a deep, black hole. They let go of each other with a scream—Raven's was a muffled scream. Then, all that he knew was complete darkness.

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><p><em>Please tell me what you think! :D I hope the characters aren't too OOC, but Red-X is a hard character to write since he's just... badass. So yep, I guess my Red-X is OOC :(<em>


	2. Chapter 2

Red-X moaned. Landing face-first on a cold stone wasn't a good thing to experience. He muttered a curse as he used his hands to help him get up. He hoisted himself, sitting on the cold floor. He rubbed his forehead, which had taken the hardest hit when he landed. He hoped he wouldn't get it bruised or swollen—he despised having his perfect face flawed even when it was a part of his consequence as a thief.

He blinked his eyes and looked around with one hand still pressed his forehead. He was in a room that looked like a storage room. It was dimly lit—the only light came from the small windows hanging high on the wall. Weird—the light indicated that the sky outside was the dawn sky, slightly pinkish.

"Where the hell is it?" he questioned himself. He swept the room with his eyes—it was a small room with nothing but full-length cupboards propped on one wall. The cupboards were old and made of something like polished woods.

On one wall, there was a small door which reminded him of wooden doors from the medieval era. He blinked, feeling slightly out of place.

He was in the middle of getting on his feet when he heard there was another low moan in the room. He froze, standing still.

The moan came from the darkest corner of the room, and when he squinted, he saw something crumpled on the floor. It was covered in dark cloth.

He gingerly approached that thing, and realized it was a small person. A kid, perhaps, if not a midget. He tentatively moved a hand, reaching the cloth to see who it was, but stopped his hand a few inches before the cloth to see if it would move. The figure didn't move so he reached the cloth. He pulled the cloth carefully only to discover that it was a part of a cloak. The part he pulled was the hood.

A pale, beautiful face was revealed, along with the silky dark hair. His eyes widened in shock.

Raven.

She moaned again, squeezing her eyes shut before peeling them open slowly. His gaze met the amethyst eyes.

She hoisted herself instantly and feral eyes stared at him, ready to fight. Red-X immediately dragged himself away from her.

"Whoa, whoa," he said, lifting his hands as a gesture for Raven to not attack. "Easy. This room's too small for us to fight in."

She produced a muffled sound and he realized the X-tape was still on her mouth. She removed the X-tape and let out a cry of pain as she did that and he cringed, imagining the pain. Red mark with X shape was left on her pale face—he bet it hurt.

The black energy spheres were surrounding her hands once she was able to move her mouth again. Raven threw the black balls on him and he quickly moved around the room, leaping here and there to save himself from the spheres. It was difficult to avoid them when he was in such a small space. Fortunately, the cupboards were empty so the insides didn't spill out when Raven's spheres hit them.

"Azar—"

"I don't feel like using the tape on you again, Sunshine," he tilted his head to the side with a cocky grin. He got on his feet as he'd just landed in crouching position. "Your face looks awful with that mark."

She snarled, but stopped attacking him anyway. She landed on the floor and they were standing with the farthest distance possible between them.

"Where are we?" she asked, her slitted eyes stared into him as if trying to look past the mask.

"No idea," he shrugged. "But I'm sure we're no longer in the museum—just stating the obvious."

Her eyes widened. The word museum was like a cue to her. "You idiot!" she spat him. "You took the crown out of the box!"

He showed her his empty hands. "Apparently it's not with me now, thanks to you. Besides, it's just some stupid urban legend."

"It threw us here!" she hissed. "There's no other explanation."

"I don't believe in folklores, Sunshine," he sighed at her irrationality. "Maybe I accidentally hit the teleport button. You were grappling with me, so I brought you along."

"Then get us back," she groaned. The spheres on her hands vanished and she stood still with eyes fixed on him.

"Alright, alright," he said, amused. He'd never seen Raven so desperate before—she was never precarious. "Take my hand. We're teleporting back to the museum."

He offered his hand and Raven reluctantly held him on the wrist. He clutched her small wrist gently before pressing the button on his belt.

They should've been transported back into the museum, but they didn't. They were in that room, still.

"C'mon, c'mon, _come on_," he muttered as he kept pressing the button again and again until he gave up. "Great. It's not working."

"What do you mean, it's not working?" she asked, perplexed. He met her gaze and saw worry in those purple orbs.

"The Xenothium wasn't drained. There must be something wrong," he replied. Deep inside, he was afraid that what Raven had said was true—it was because he took the crown out of the box. He remembered how it glimmered when there was no adequate lighting to cause it so. "We cannot teleport."

Raven loosened her grip on his wrist and took a step aback. "It's not a part of your game, right?" she warily asked.

"No," he shook his head. "I like playing games, but not when I'm about to get my number one. Come to think of it—I came to steal the Red Hat, why would I want to teleport somewhere else without it?"

She frowned. "So what are we supposed to do?" She looked around, and from the look on her face he knew she found the room was weird. It felt like a room that would be in a castle or an old-styled mansion.

"Finding a way out, of course—unless you want to be a damsel in distress. I'm not gonna stick around and wait for a princess to save me," he gestured toward the door with his head. "You're coming with me?"

She hesitated. "Is it a ceasefire?"

"Well," he shrugged, "if you'd like to think so."

She looked at the door and then back at him, hesitantly. "Okay," she nodded, even when she looked unsure. She stood still, and he knew she expected him to walk first.

He was the guy anyway, so he started toward the door. He somehow felt responsible—apart from the fact that perhaps it was his fault that they were there, he also found Raven was actually not as brave as he thought she was. She might be powerful, but she was still a girl anyway. He couldn't expect her to be as bold as a man, he knew, but still, finding her slightly vulnerable was something new.

The door creaked when he pulled it open. Then, they were in a narrow corridor with stone walls and floor. There was a big wooden door at the end of the corridor, and smaller ones like the storage door on each side at intervals. There were torches on the walls between the doors, making it both bright and eerie.

They were walking toward the big door when suddenly it was pushed open. Red-X felt that his cape was being clutched by Raven as the door shrieked.

A man in a suit appeared as the door was open. He was in the middle 50s or so, shoulders slightly hunched. His hair and moustache was grey, wrinkles decorated his friendly face. Minus the brass oil lamp he brought in his hand, he reminded Red-X a lot of one of his servants back at home.

"I was wondering about the noise in one of the storages," he told them. His smile was friendly, but Red-X had a feeling that he couldn't trust that man. "Apparently we have visitors. Come with me. My master would like to meet you at dinner."

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><p><em>Chapter 3 will be up in a week or so because I'm on exam period. Please tell me how you think of chap 2 (and if Red-X is too OOC) C: Hope you like it!<em>


	3. Chapter 3

_Here's chapter 3 :D I think this chapter's crude and I couldn't do much during the editing, I don't know why, but I hope you'll still enjoy it!_

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><p>"I don't understand," Raven said as she sat on the side of the bed. She finally talked after numerous attempts that he'd pulled to engage her in a conversation. That titan was difficult—but she perhaps had started learning that she had no one but him in this world they were stranded in.<p>

They were in a big bedroom for two—it was where the servant had escorted them to. He asked them to prepare themselves for dinner—formal clothes were in the closets.

"I don't either," Red-X said, making sure the door was locked.

"So what are we going to do now?"

Red-X didn't answer. He went to the window and yanked the curtains open. It was already twilight. The sun had set and the sky was almost dark. He opened the window and checked what floor they were on. Obviously they were in some kind of a tower—and on the highest floor of the tower. Below them, there was the sea, the waves splashed the coral. It was a vast sea that everywhere he looked, there was only water. So he assumed it was an ocean, not some lake they could pass by swimming across it.

"We're trapped," he said. "Unless you can fly far and bring me along with you—like some sweet escape of a princess and the guy she saves from a castle."

She ignored his fantasy. When he turned around, she was already behind him, checking what was outside the window as well. "I don't think we can go anywhere, even by flying. We know nothing of this place and we have nowhere else to go," she said. "We might be in another city, another time, or another dimension. We don't know what kind of magic that has brought us here."

"The crown," he finally admitted. "I saw it gleaming before we fell into the hole. Guess it was its magic."

She was about to scold him, but sighed instead. Perhaps she thought that spitting him wouldn't bring them out of that place. "I'm regretting why I didn't take position in the front or back door."

"If you did, Sunshine, you wouldn't get the chance to meet me," he teased, closing the window.

"Stop calling me that," she growled.

"That's a beautiful name I don't call every girl with," he shrugged. He dragged the dresser open and found a dozen or more tuxedo sets hanging there. They were expensive ones—he could tell because he'd had many.

"Guess you're a creative guy who names every girl you meet with different names," she said. "And the girls, I bet are many."

"You're implying that I'm a player," he chuckled, pulling out a tuxedo he liked. He spared her a glance before opening the other dresser. She was sitting on the bed again, deadpanning. "That's pretty accurate. I'm impressed."

"That's an easy thing to read. What are you doing?"

"Picking out a good dress for you to wear tonight." His eyes scanned the dresses hung in the dresser—there were various types and colors. He imagined her wearing something other than her leopard and cloak. He bet she'd look very pretty.

"I do not wear any dress," she groaned.

"I believe if we leave good impression on the master and he turns out to like us, he'll show a way out," he said. He took a simple burgundy dress out and threw it on the bed beside Raven. "Wear that. It suits your hair."

He closed the dresser and got to the bathroom with tuxedo set in hand.

"Who are you to think you know what suits me?" she rolled her eyes.

"I've dated too many girls to know that," he said, grinning. He closed the door behind him and locked it.

The bathroom was a luxurious one, in the same golden fixtures that adorned the bedroom. It was even larger than his own bathroom, with bathtub big enough to afford space for five people.

Red-X sighed. It had gone out of the plan, and even when he didn't show it to Raven, he felt really lost. His skepticism had never got him into trouble before, but this time it really got him.

He put the tuxedo set on the counter and he peeled his gloves off, tossing it next to the formal suit. He threw a look on the door first, as if to make sure that Raven wouldn't break in and see him unmasking himself. Stupid thought, he knew—they were in truce anyway. It was just absurd insecurity that he quickly ignored. He pulled the mask off and sent it to land on top of his piled gloves.

He washed his face and dried it with the plush towel hanging on the brass holder nearby the basin. The mirror reflected his features, now without the mask, exposing the face of Matthew Voltair, a completely normal guy who had career in modeling. If the titans knew who he really was, they could either be surprised or laugh their asses off, as they'd find out the man behind the notorious thief's mask was nothing more but an uneducated man with physical attractiveness. But he bet they'd at least be surprised by how a guy who didn't even graduate high school could pull so many heists—successfully, even.

He inherited his father's dark brown hair, which framed his pale face—but he was nothing as pale as Raven. He just hated tanning; that was all. His eyes were blue like his mother's, framed with thick eyelashes, and above them rested the finely arched eyebrows. His cheekbones and jaw lines were prominent, and as if those weren't enough, he also got fine-boned nose and thin lips girls would regard as sexy. But no matter how blessed he should feel for having that face, he sometimes hated how it always reminded him of his deceased parents.

He ruffled up his hair that had been plastered flat to his head after hours of wearing mask. He then stripped off his suit and put them on the counter along with his mask and gloves before getting to the bathtub.

He took quick shower and slipped back into his suit. The only things he didn't wear were his cape and his gloves because it would look bad with the tuxedo. He put on the white shirt, black trouser, and the tuxedo over his suit. He left his cape but pocketed his gloves in case he needed them to fight. He knew he looked weird by having his mask on, but he didn't care—there was no way he'd expose his identity to her.

When he walked out, Raven was already in the dress he chose for her. The dress was so simple, with long sleeves. The hem was just above her knees, making her look elegant. Laces in the same color decorated the satin and that was the only thing that adorned the dress.

Red-X blinked. "You look beautiful, Sunshine," he complimented her, and he meant it. She was beautiful despite her inhumane gray skin—she was beautiful in an entirely different way than the girls he'd ever dated. "I might actually date you if you weren't a titan."

"I know you are skillful at handling girls, but I'm not flattered," she indifferently replied. "Anyway, thank you."

She continued reading a book that she'd found somewhere in the room. Red-X raised his eyebrows. He couldn't help wondering if she could resist him if he didn't have his mask on. Normally, he'd never failed in flattering any kind of girl. They'd blush and tell him how perfect he was. He believed that even when Raven couldn't see his face, she could've complimented him if she wanted to—he looked so good in that formal suit. As what Roland, his servant, had ever told him—he got broad shoulders that made every clothes look good on him.

But heck, she was Raven after all. He didn't know what he was thinking, hoping her to compliment him.

"You're welcome," he casually answered, going to the dressers he hadn't checked to find a pair of shoes for her. He did that for himself—seeing the titan in a dress was a once in a lifetime chance, he couldn't miss it.

One dresser had women's shoes on the racks. He asked her the size of her shoes, and was tempted to pick a pair of black shoes with killer heels, but he thought better. Raven would surely kill him if he tried to make her wear those, and they didn't go well with her dress. Besides, they might need to flee or fight—he'd never know. So instead, he picked a pair of black flat shoes with red ribbons on them.

Raven succumbed to his choice as she didn't seem to have the will to choose for herself, so she slipped her feet into the shoes. Red-X was satisfied by his choice—all those money and time he'd spent on the girls had paid off. Raven looked incredibly gorgeous even when she had that pouting face on. She looked slightly like a child in that dress and shoes, especially because she was vertically challenged, but overall, she got the looks. If he knew she had the hidden talent to be so pretty, he wouldn't bother flirting with the alien. Pretty mysterious girls were always more intriguing—too bad she'd always covered her face with the stupid hood.

He didn't compliment her again, feeling that the word beautiful had been an understatement of the year.

Raven was about to climb up to bed to pick up her book and he was fixing a burgundy tie to match her dress when the door was knocked. Feeling sure it was the servant calling them for dinner, they both immediately finished their businesses and raced toward the door.

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><p><em>Chapter 4 will be up soon! It'll be a short one as it should be a part of chapter 3, but I don't want to make this chapter too long. Tell me what you think through reviews ;)<em>


	4. Chapter 4

The master was not more than a kid—he was perhaps 14 or 15. Red-X was surprised. Not that he was so old himself—he was still 18. But this kid, sitting on the chair at the edge of the long wooden table, looked nothing like someone who'd own a castle and live only with his servants in it.

The high chair with luxurious red velvet made the master look as if he was sinking on it. His dark hair resembled Red-X's, but his eyes were green. He was handsome, and that justified the obnoxious look that he had. Red-X felt that the kid reminded him of the younger version of him—good-looking and smug. Not that he'd changed a lot, though—he only grew old, but still the same arrogant person.

They sat on the chairs on the left of the master, with him between the master and Raven. Raven had been quiet, and Red-X could tell she was wary.

The master just threw an unexcited look at his skull mask, but not asking him to unmask himself like what he'd been scared of. That kid just arrogantly asked them to enjoy their dinner, and then there was silence between them for the rest of the dinner.

Red-X lifted his mask to just above his mouth, enough to allow him to eat. He hated having to eat with his mask on, but he had no choice.

Raven ate silently beside him, and Red-X couldn't stop glancing at her. He somehow cared about that worried look on her face—the look that he could still spot even when she disguised it well.

Wait, his head interrupted as he was cutting his steak and glancing at Raven at the same time. No, you don't pay that much attention to a titan, silly. She's your enemy.

He forced himself to keep his eyes on his food, then. He assured himself that even though she was pretty, she was still his enemy. Once they got out of that place, they'd become enemies again—she was the titan and he was the thief, nothing could change that.

They'd just finished their desserts and their glasses were refilled with red wine when the master began to talk. Red-X couldn't help feeling relieved to find himself finished the food without having to talk—he didn't want to let any of them hear his real voice.

"Anyone of you has played with my family's heirloom—the crown. Am I right?" he asked, and his cold green eyes were placed directly on Red-X, who had had his mask pulled down again.

Red-X believed that kid had known everything, but not answering his question might be dangerous. Beside him, Raven was frozen, not blaming him for what he'd done, so he decided to take the responsibility.

"Some things are just simply irresistible," Red-X nodded, grinning cockily.

"Indeed," he smiled. "That beautiful crown, however, has transported you here, just like the rest of the people who have ever tried to release the crown from its box. I know you all want to come back to your place of origin, but there's only a way out."

They both waited for the master to reveal that. The master looked amused. He rested his elbows on the table and one of his hands rubbed another's knuckles. He looked like someone who was watching his favorite movie for the hundredth time but still waiting for the exciting moment to come—he'd known what was going to happen yet still got entertained when it happened.

"You, masked man, have to overcome one of your fears. The fear of loving someone. The fear of rejection," he playfully told him.

Red-X was hit by a mental slap when he announced that. No one had ever known that he had that kind of fear—the fear that caused him to always try being the perfect one. The fear that caused him to become a player at the first place.

He feigned a laugh. "You know, kid, if I was to have a fear regarding women, it would be the fear of being unable to choose which one to love. Too many choices—women want me."

He tried hard to sound as arrogant as possible. He hoped it was convincing enough, but he wasn't really sure if it could trick that kid. If the master knew he had that kind of fear, he'd perhaps known that Matthew Voltair had refused to love any girl since years ago. Since the betrayals.

"Well, well, all I know is, the crown told the truth, Red-X," he said. Red-X felt like being punched on the stomach—he'd never mentioned his nick to anyone in this house. "It demands for you to love this girl next to you, or else, you two are trapped forever in this castle."

He sipped his wine and then got on his feet, not giving Red-X the chance to utter some more remarks. He was about to leave when he fixed his eyes on them again.

"Oh, and don't try opening doors but your room. The rooms might have some nasty creatures in it," he smirked mischievously.

Red-X felt like slapping that kid—now he knew how the titans felt when he was teasing and mocking them. That kid was gone soon after that, and then the servants came in again.

Red-X threw a look again at Raven. She answered that by a confused look. He wasn't sure of what to tell her, as he, too, was baffled. Not because of what the master had said, but because of how that kid knew precisely about him.

The servant escorted them back into their room, through the vast corridors with paintings hanging on the walls. The only sound that was audible was the echo of their footsteps.

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><p><em>Thanks for the reviews! They're what keep me going. It's how I know that people read my story and care about it, so thanks very much for the support :D<em>


	5. Chapter 5

_Sorry to keep you waiting! C:_

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><p>"What did he mean by that?" Raven demanded when he was putting off his tuxedo.<p>

"Not sure," he shrugged, untying his necktie. "He's just messing around with us, I guess. Maybe he knew we're enemies and blah blah blah so he came up with the idea we cannot fulfill. I think he wants to lock us up forever in this castle."

"Great," she murmured, levitating the book toward her. It landed smoothly on her lap. "I _love_ wasting my time with a thief in a castle like this. It makes me feel like a princess."

Red-X smiled, amused. He tilted his head to the side while his hands were unbuttoning the shirt. "I didn't know you have sarcasm in you, Sunshine. Always thought you were morose."

"I appreciate your judgment," she said, not lifting her head from the book. "And stop calling me that."

"Or else?" his eyebrows shot upward. He took off the trousers and wore his gloves.

"Or else I'll snap you in half."

"I am terribly scared, Sunshine," he laughed, getting his cape from the bathroom.

When he was out of the bathroom, he saw her glaring at him. The eyes told him she was annoyed, and in her hands, the black energy spheres were glowing.

"I don't think ruining the only bedroom we got is a wise idea, Sunshine," he chuckled.

She frowned, but he believed she agreed with him as the black spheres vanished. She crept down from the bed and grabbed her folded outfit from the couch while he crawled to the middle of the bed. He took the book that she left lying open and saw the cover.

"Harry Potter?" he gasped. "Really? In such a place like this?"

"At least there's one thing that can assure us we're still in our dimension," she shrugged. She walked into the bathroom with her uniform in her hand.

After hearing the bathroom door was locked, he threw the book on the bed beside him and lied on his back. He exhaled heavily—this thing had gone out of control.

The master, whoever he was, knew he was the one who got the crown out of the box. He also knew his deepest fear as if it was a public knowledge. He felt vulnerable and lost. How was he supposed to get himself and Raven out of that place? Loving her was impossible—his feeling was dead long ago. He didn't want to love again, as to love was to get hurt. He'd had enough.

Besides, she was a titan. If he fell in love with her, they'd get back to Jump City, and he would become their enemy again. It would, again, become a love that would hurt him.

This was the greatest dilemma he'd ever faced. If he didn't love her, or try to, they'd probably never get out of that place. If he did, he would, or they would, end up hurting.

He hoisted himself when Raven was out of the bathroom. She was already in her leotard again. She fixed her cape and took the boots from under the bed, slipping her feet into them. She looked like the normal Raven again—he was slightly disappointed by that.

"What's the plan?" she asked.

"The plan?" he raised his eyebrows.

"Yes. You're going out of this place or not?" she rolled her eyes. She joined him, sitting on the side of the bed, right across him.

"Oh, right."

His sly brain worked fast, then. Raven couldn't be allowed to know that he, the famous thief, was afraid of falling in love. He wouldn't let her know his vital weakness—she was only a temporary ally. He'd do that in order to convince her that he had no idea what the kid was talking about, just like her.

He folded his feet like Raven and closed the gap between them, leaving around one feet between them. "Now, Sunshine, look into my eyes."

"What?" her eyebrows knitted together.

"Well, he asked me to love you, right? Confession time," he sounded as if he was sure it was going to happen—as if he believed that the fake confession would bring them out of there.

She raised one eyebrow, but then complied. She stared into his eyes, through the mask.

"Dear, Raven..."

"Roth," she continued for him.

He smiled. Now he knew her last name—a knowledge that not everyone knew. "Dear Raven Roth," he said, and he took the chance to take Raven's hands. She automatically pulled them off his hold but his grip was strong. "It's to get us out of here."

His threat worked—she let her hands stayed within his, even with a scowl that stayed on her face.

"Dear Raven Roth," he wanted to keep smiling because that face amused him. Raven Roth, one of the titans, had her hands in his. It would be memorable. "My sunshine, my life. I love you, and I want you for the rest of my life."

That was a cheesy line he wouldn't enunciate to any girl he'd ever dated. Too cheesy and too melancholy. Sappy lines always made boys look less manly.

They just waited for a hole to swallow them again, back into the museum. Actually it was just her who was hopeful. He knew it wasn't going to work. Whatever magic the crown possessed, it knew his truth. Judging from how powerful it was, Red-X knew that it wouldn't be hard for the crown to tell if he really loved her or not.

_Damn those Harry Potter books for being real_, his head groaned. He'd never believed in magic. Now he did.

After minutes of waiting, she was convinced that nothing was going to happen. Raven sighed, pulling her hands from Red-X. "It's not working."

He faked desperation in his voice, "So what are we gonna do?" Truth was, he knew what to do, but not sure of how.

"Not sure," she bit her lip anxiously. "Do you think that kid was lying?"

"Most likely," he lied.

"About the creatures?"

He shrugged. "He could be lying."

"Maybe it was a way to prevent us from finding the front door?"

"Maybe," he agreed. "Do you think we should find out about it by ourselves?"

"Precisely," Raven nodded.

She jumped from the bed, and within seconds they were already in the vast, cold hallway, trying to decide which way to go first.

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><p><em>What would you like to include in this story as Raven and Red-X's enemies? Monsters, ninjas? Tell me your thoughts through reviews (:<em>


	6. Chapter 6

_Sorry to keep you waiting for so long. I was having severe writer's block for this story. I've overcome that now don't worry ;)_

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><p>The corridors were vast and only lit by torches that were hung on each wall at intervals. Their steps echoed softly through the night and the temperature seemed to keep dropping by few degrees as they loitered in the halls, trying to find a door that might be the way out. Red-X surreptitiously threw a glance or two each minute, watching as she crossed her arms over her chest and rubbed her hands on her upper arms. She was feeling cold, and he cursed himself for not having a jacket to offer to her.<p>

None of them inclined to talk during their walk. He fought the urge to talk since talking in the hallway wouldn't be a wise option for the moment—their voice would echo and they'd end up waking whoever was sleeping in the castle. Getting caught was the last thing they wanted.

The castle seemed endless, as if it was a labyrinth. As if it was designed purposefully to mislead the wanderers. Red-X silently led the way, as if there was an unwritten contract between them of who was leading and who was following. Raven always automatically stopped her strides whenever they were in a crossroad, waiting for Red-X to pick which way to go.

He himself wasn't sure of his choices—it was purely instinctive. His finesse in stealing wasn't really working here—his spatial intelligence was what was left in the pile of the useful skills, even when it wasn't nearly as effective as his GPS. All that he'd been doing was predicting the shape of the castle and trying to find which way would lead to an end.

They finally met a spiral staircase that led them to a foyer. Feeling they almost reached their goal, Red-X's steps became more assured.

The foyer was like the normal foyer they'd see in castles, eerily lit by torches. The walls and floor was the same stark stones as the corridor's, ancient and luxurious. The tall stained windows casted no light from the outside, as it was perhaps almost midnight. There was a huge red rug sat in the middle of the foyer, just under the old chandelier, ornate and frilly.

There was no formal agreement between them but they somehow decided to walk across the foyer without stepping on the rug, in case it was a trap. They finally reached the gigantic wooden door. They spent half a minute just to stare at it, wondering how they would open it as it seemed controlled mechanically and they needed to find the switch.

"What do we do now?" Raven asked. Her tone flat, but there was worry coloring her face.

Red-X wanted to tell her that he didn't know either, but it would worsen her worry. Even when she was his enemy in real life, he found himself feeling somewhat responsible to act like a man toward her.

"I'll figure it out," he said, hiding the uncertainty that crept into him.

He pressed his palm against the door to test if it would budge if he pushed it. It felt cold against his skin, and all of a sudden there was an electroshock sent into him. He leaped aback and yelled tersely in shock, landing a foot away from the door.

"Electroshock," he murmured, informing Raven who was still petrified.

"So we're locked," she concluded. She didn't cover her anxiety anymore now, rubbing her upper arms as she crossed her arms across her chest. She looked around in a face that told him she was feeling unsafe. "This place contains more magic than places I've ever known before. It disables my empathy and your teleportation."

"It disables your… what?" he blinked. He kept clenching and unclenching his fist to make the post-electrocution feeling fade.

"Empathy. And some other abilities too, I guess," she sounded impatience. "They're controlling our power."

"They're controlling my devices," he suggested a correction. That realization made him feel intimidated—he was nothing without his devices. He might be good in self-defense, but there was nothing that could assure him he'd never face a circumstance in which his self-defense would do him no good.

"That's true," a voice joined their conversation.

They whirled in surprise, finding the master standing there in his expensive-looking royal blue robe. He was like a kid in his father's robe. The somber expression he was wearing made him look older than he was.

"Look at you," he tilted his head to the side, examining Raven and Red-X. Red-X hated that look—it felt like that kid could see through his mask, and he felt insecure. "Trying to escape the punishment. How bad you two are. Especially you, Mr. Thief."

His eyes were now on Red-X. The eyes told him that he was nothing now—that his every power was under the control of that kid's magic. Whatever spell he'd casted, it made Red-X lose his ability to quip.

"I am feeling kind today, though," he rested his eyes on Raven now. Raven almost flinched even when those green eyes looked a lot warmer, gentler. "I'll make this easier for you, Miss. You didn't willingly involve yourself in this game, so—"he let his sentence trailed off, snapping his fingers instead.

Raven magically fell unconscious. Red-X was shocked, immediately jumped to save Raven from hitting the floor as she toppled down. He caught her on time, wrapping her around the shoulders and the back of her knees. He lifted her and surprised at how light she was.

"What did you do to her?" Red-X snapped. His eyes were on Raven, worrying to death how she looked more pallid and lifeless, like some wax sculpture. Her skin that was already grey looked even less healthy, like a withering flower. The only thing that could assure him that she was alive was the rise and fall of her chest.

"Relax." Red-X looked up to find that the master was smiling viciously. Red-X clenched his teeth in anger. "Your attempt to escape this place breaches the rule, so it's punishable. You're going to play a game with me. Remember that I've told you not to access any room? Now you have to access every room marked on the map and find the vial that contains the liquid to wake her up. You have time until dawn—that is 6 hours."

"Kid, look—"

"I'm not a kid," the master's smile disappeared. "I'm 200 years older than you, kiddo. Anyway, failing the game means you'll lose her and get trapped in here forever. Now, let the game begin."

Giving him one lopsided smile, the master vanished into thin air before Red-X could say anything. He was left frozen at his spot with Raven on his arms, feeling smaller than he'd ever been.

He then shook his head, trying to clean it from the imaginary cobwebs. He couldn't think. The magic that surrounded that place scared him in an odd way—even when he'd been trying to convince himself that a Voltair should never be a coward. He couldn't help it.

Having Raven on his arms, lying limply, made him feel even more lost. She was his last hope to explain anything about the magic—she was apparently cleverer than him in that matter. And now not only had he lost her, but he also had to save her. He had to look for the liquid that would bring her back her consciousness.

He didn't even want to imagine how it would be if he was late. Losing her was something that he couldn't handle—he hated losing the people that he loved. He still remembered how it felt to lose a mother. He wasn't going to get through the same thing twice.

_No, silly, no,_ his brain firmly said. _You're not losing her._

Shoving his emotions and fear into the depth of his ego, he looked around to find a clue to begin. He wasn't losing Raven—he was going to save her, no matter what.

He spotted a roll of parchment left on the rug where the master was previously standing. Red-X crouched down and carefully placed Raven on the rug, before seizing the map. He untied the royal blue silk ribbon and scanned the map.

It was a complicated map. There were thirteen floors in total, and there were red x's marking places that he believed were chambers. One of them had the vial hidden in it.

_Red x's mark the spots,_ he thought. _How ironic._

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><p><em>Thanks for all the reviews! You keep me going C:<em>

_And I'd like to thank **yob3** and **Vatala Darkmist** for giving me some brilliant idea and pointing out that Raven's an empath respectively._

_I love you all guys! 3_


	7. Chapter 7

_Sorry for the long wait. Life has been hectic and I'll try to keep updating once a week, but sometimes writer's block catches my feet so it can take me longer than that. Anyway, enjoy! :D_

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><p>The first room was in the hall located next to the staircase that previously led them to the foyer. Red-X checked the map again, making sure that he got the right room before putting Raven on the floor, her back against the wall. She was cold—he wondered what the magic had done to her.<p>

He placed the rolled parchment on her lap and checked if his weapons were working. The belt still didn't bring him anywhere, and most of his devices didn't work. But as long as he got his shurikens and X-blades on his gloves, he'd be fine. He had to be extra careful, though, so he didn't get cornered or anything. There was nothing to help him escape if that happened.

Red-X placed his eyes on Raven as he still crouched across her. She was like sleeping feverishly, unease tinted her beautiful face, her eyebrows creased. A sleep that was devoid of peace. He sighed, and inwardly promised her that he'd bring her back.

"I'll be back, Sunshine," he whispered, tilting up her chin a little as he brushed the side of his first finger on that chin. She looked fragile, somehow, and he found it intriguing how she could be both strong and fragile at the same time.

He was simply curious about her.

But knowing he had not much time left if he wanted to save Raven, he didn't let himself indulge in staring at that beautiful face. He got to his feet and walked toward the door of the first chamber.

His heart started hammering as he was closer to the room, questioning himself what kind of enemy there would be. He'd ever faced loonies and monster-like creatures, but he was afraid of something that would attack him mentally. He had to admit that he wasn't that strong psychologically—not after everything that he'd gone through in the past.

The door creaked when he pushed it. The room was dark and once he opened the door, the light emanated from the torches in the hallway flooded into the room. He pushed the door farther to see what was in the room.

The room was mostly made of stone. It seemed empty, so he walked in to search for the vial.

It wasn't until he reached the darkest spot of the room, where there was no light, that he realized he wasn't alone in the room. There was someone, sitting in a decrepit, rusty chair in the corner. He tried to activate the night-vision mode on his mask, only to find that what Raven had feared or suspected was true. The evil master had controlled his devices, making some of them nothing but useless technology. Clicking the button several times and the room kept being pitch-black, Red-X dropped his hand in despair.

Red-X warily approached that person. He was so close to that person when that man made a low, guttural sound.

"Shit," Red-X muttered, but he kept stepping closer and closer. It was like a part of some thriller if not horror movie and he despised it. "Who are you?"

The man didn't answer. From the silhouette Red-X could tell he was trying to move, though. He was sitting low on his chair, and the old chair screeched when he made the slightest move.

"You're not going to find anything here," he murmured. His voice was husky. Red-X felt the hair at the nape of his neck rose.

"Wait here for a sec, old man," Red-X ceased his step. "I hate not seeing anything."

He jogged back to the aisle and grabbed a torch from the corridor's wall. He glanced at Raven, who was still leaning against the wall with no trace of consciousness left in her, and wished she was there to help him.

Getting back into the room, the fire helped him see that the man was so old and puny with countable strands of white hair on his bald head, like some homeless men Red-X would see on the streets. His whole body was limp, as if without the chair he wouldn't be able to sit at all—as if he had no bones to support his body. Goose bumps crept into his whole body as he saw that man, but something made him unable to look away from those languid grey eyes.

Those eyes looked at him with no curiosity even when he was in a weird costume, like it was a daily occurrence to have someone with skull mask visiting him in that storage-like chamber.

"If you look for anything," that man spoke again, "you're not going to find it here."

"How do you know if I look for anything?" he carefully asked. His voice was weird, strained. His voice changer made it sound worse.

He laughed drily, pushing his body against the back of the chair. The decrepit chair shrieked again as he did that. His bony arms trembled as he used them to help him push his back flat against the wooden chair.

"Everyone does, young man. Everyone does," he grinned bitterly, as if feeling pity for Red-X. His teeth were crooked and some had been lost, leaving ugly holes here and there. "And out of thirteen chambers marked on the map, nothing has whatever they look for. Every room gives you a clue or two, but not the thing itself. The thing is somewhere in a room that's not on the list. The main point is to make you run out of time."

Red-X raised one eyebrow. Trusting the man he barely knew wasn't an option. That man also looked like someone he wouldn't trust—he would be likely to get misled if he followed the advice.

"Yeah? How do you know that?" Red-X asked.

He tilted his head to the side, examining Red-X. Red-X felt uncomfortable and wanted to flinch. "I was as curious as you, young man. Thinking the story was nothing but a lie. If I only knew the crown was just a tool for a vicious mastermind to lock people in his castle."

Now he realized that he might be into something much more serious than he thought. But Red-X refused to show any kind of submission.

"Well," he cleared his throat, "you said every room gave a clue. Now, give me my clue and I'll move on."

That old man shrugged. "That was my clue. Now you know what's actually going on. The master has never intended to let any of us go at the first place. It's all just a trick."

"Fine. Thanks for the clue, old man. Now, if you'll excuse me. I need to search the whole room for the vial."

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><p><em>The story has become more... tense than how I intended it to be at first. I thought it would be more like my other RedX-Raven fanfics (which I don't uploadhaven't uploaded), with more romance than action. But I hope you'll still like it even when it's more adventure-ish :D_


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